And it was only appropriate that the tennis center`s newest professional was leading the area`s newest tennis players through a practice session.

Holoff, who joined head professional Kevin McCarthy earlier this month to work with the center`s junior development program, began the day`s lesson with a warmup that resembled a ``Simon Says`` session.

After a few stretching exercises, Holoff served his students a pop quiz.

``OK,`` Holoff asked his students, ``what`s a volley?``

Not many responses, but, after another day`s lesson, it was obvious that the students were learning. Learning slowly, as would befit their age, but learning a lot, as would befit their incessant curiosity. They`re learning the fundamentals of tennis, and, equally important, they`re learning the benefits of exercising their young minds and bodies.

``It`s a positive environment to work in,`` Holoff said, ``the children are very responsive and they want to learn the game. Their attitudes are great. There are no John McEnroes on the court.``

No, but ``it`s good to teach them when they`re young, because there may be another Chris Evert somewhere in that group,`` according to Monica DiFalco, who watched from outside the fence as daughter Dana, 5, took lessons from Holoff and McCarthy.

Marcella Moore is 4 years old and hasn`t yet grasped the intricacies of the game. That she is old enough to grasp her racket with two hands is good enough for Holoff and McCarthy, who are doing all they can to bring the game to children as young as Moore.

``Marcella is so proud of herself after a lesson,`` her mother, Michele said. ``She loves it here, and she`s learning. And it`s good to see her so active.``

The 4- and 5-year-old group meets every Tuesday at the tennis center.

Clinics for beginning players are held Monday afternoon and Saturday morning. Intermediate player clinics are held Wednesday and Saturday. Advanced player clinics are held Thursday and Saturday.

Since arriving from Rhode Island, Holoff has been working Monday and Tuesday clinics. Holoff decided to come to Florida after 12 years as a New England tennis pro, working in Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island.

``I came to South Florida about four times in the past year, scouting tennis clubs that I`d be interested in working at,`` Holoff said.``I decided a couple months ago that I would come here for good and give it a go. I was here for about a week and (McCarthy) hired me to assist him. It came about quickly and painlessly.``

Teaching children and junior players has always been Holoff`s forte. He worked as an assistant head counselor and activities programmer at summer camp while studying for his bachelor`s degree at Northeastern University. Holoff left his last tennis club -- simply titled Tennis, Rhode Island -- after three years. He also left behind a junior development program that comprised, he said, 250 players during the indoor season.

``I gave up a very secure position, and I had some mixed feelings about leaving. But I felt that I had achieved all I could in the Northeast and that the top jobs now were down here. I drove down, thinking of it as more of an adventure than a risk.